Bill McKibbenhttp://www.desmogblog.com/taxonomy/term/543/all
enSick of Enviro Documentaries? Why You Should Still Watch Disruptionhttp://www.desmogblog.com/2014/09/18/sick-enviro-documentaries-you-should-still-watch-disruption
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/Screen%20Shot%202014-09-18%20at%207.51.13%20PM.png?itok=A6TsZ5R8" width="200" height="130" alt="Disruption" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><em>This is a guest post by Zach Roberts.</em></p>
<p>As a documentary producer, I watch more than my fair share of environmental protest documentaries — probably about 20 a year. And almost all of them have the same, vague message: we need to do something!</p>
<p>Their scenes re-play like a bad video montage in my mind: earnest young people speaking at podiums, boring climatologists rambling on about the coming end of the world, forest fires, melting ice shelves, you know how it goes. In the lefty journalism world, we call this “preaching to the choir.”</p>
<p>Then there's Disruption, which is not so much a protest documentary as a call to arms. In an interview, co-director Jared P. Scott classified it under new genre of documentary — <em>'</em><em>action films.</em><em>'</em> These are films that send a clear message about what must be done and then give viewers the information they need to actually get it done. And that's Disruption in a nutshell.</p>
<p>The documentary, made in collaboration with the organizers of the <a href="http://peoplesclimate.org/march/">People’s Climate March</a>, uses a mix of familiar footage from the likes of Yann Arthus-Bertrand and new behind-the-scenes footage from organizing meetings for the Sept. 21<sup>st</sup> protest, set to be the largest climate march in history.</p>
<!--break-->
<p>Disruption’s interviews are stunningly photographed and bring in some new faces to the climate discussion (no Al Gore), along with some old faces like Leslie Cagan, the organizer of the Nuclear Freeze Protest, which brought one million people to Central Park. Those are the sort of numbers that 350.org wants to bring to New York City this Sunday for the <a href="peoplesclimate.org/march">People’s Climate March</a>. Protests are also being organized around the world in solidarity.</p>
<p>Bonus: You can watch Disruption for free online right here, right now! Scroll past the video for an interview with co-director Jared P. Scott.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-video-blog field-type-file field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="media-vimeo-outer-wrapper" id="media-vimeo-1" style="width: 480px; height: 360px;">
<div class="media-vimeo-preview-wrapper" id="media_vimeo_105412070_1">
<object width="480" height="360">
<param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=105412070">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="wmode" value="transparent" />
<embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=105412070" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="360" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>
</object> </div>
</div>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-text-after-video field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><br /><strong>You start the film with this fantastic film and audio shot on the moon, which is the behind-the-scenes making of the famous photograph 'earthrise,' something that every photographer and <span class="caps">NASA</span> fan has seen — but I'm not sure how many have seen or heard this footage… how did you come across it? And why did you start the film with it?</strong></p>
<p>The scene is an homage to the opening of Bill McKibben's Eaarth where he plays off 'Earthrise' to make the point that due to anthropogenic climate change, we no longer live on that planet that Anders <span class="amp">&amp;</span> Borman saw in that iconic photograph. We used his writing as a guide to structure and fashion the cold open. There were quite a few iterations of this in the rough cuts. At one point we had the complete reading of Genesis — very cinematic but too much of a detour from the film's message. Hala Alhomoud, one of the animators, brought it to life with her live kinetic typography.</p>
<p><strong>What did you find most interesting about the history of climate change research?</strong></p>
<p>We have known about all this for so long — that this just didn't appear when Dr. Hansen testified in front of congress in 1988…</p>
<p>And then in the present, there is also the really deeply depressing knowledge that amplifying negative feedback loops like the West Antarctica ice sheet are considered to be irreversible.</p>
<p><strong>This is really well shot, so different than most quick turnaround documentaries. There are also a lot of new faces outside of the usual people we see in environmental docs. Was that purposeful? Or just the way it happened?</strong></p>
<p>We squeezed about a year's worth of filmmaking into less than three months and couldn't have done that without the amazing team we put together. Tad Fettig was the director of photography on the interviews … and we shot raw and flat so Jordan Bramlett could come in and color them beautifully …</p>
<p>Our first interview was Dr. James Hansen on June 18th and we had the premiere last night on Sept 7<sup>th</sup>, so, our researching, scheduling, shooting, editing and dialectic interplay was all happening simultaneously. It was quite a juggling act and in that time-frame we were really pleased with the interviewees. We were blessed with tremendous voices that proved to be invaluable to the film's message.</p>
<p><strong>The free release on Vimeo — how did that come about? </strong></p>
<p>We had a really unique opportunity to collaborate on a film with 350.org and partner organizations that have the means to get the word out — to embrace our philosophy of using film as a tool for social change — and it was so explicit and immediate this time: we want to galvanize people to join the largest climate march in history on Sept. 21 in <span class="caps">NYC</span>. Full stop.</p>
<p>Climate change is an issue that allows you to dig down a bit deeper and work a bit harder. We kind of put our personal lives on hold for three months. We really believe in this issue. I wouldn't say we are activists, I would say we are messengers. I feel we have a responsibility as storytellers, as filmmakers, to do our part. That passion and responsibility helped us find our terrific team (or them find us) and to make the incredible connections with people like Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Greenpeace, Mike McSweeney, David Ohana, Casey Neistat, Eric Feijten and many others who donated footage that elevated the cinematic experience of the film.</p>
<p><strong>One thing that makes this film stand out is the discussion of why we need to protest not just on this issue, but in general, especially with George Marshall's excellent comments. The action portion of this doc is so different than most. In fact, there's a real emphasis on it. Why did you see that as so important?</strong></p>
<p>We see documentary films as platforms for action and that action can take various forms, ie. engaging in conversation within one's community, joining a protest in the streets or changing consumer attitudes to shift our actions away from those behaviors which are damaging to those which are positive and sustaining. To that end, the viewing of the film should never be the conclusion of the experience, rather it should be the beginning — the viewer, with newly gained insight into an issue, should be presented the avenues where they can direct their energies to affect change around the issue explored. There is no greater waste of creative resources than telling a compelling story only to leave the viewer unclear on where to apply their passions once the houselights have come on.</p>
<p><strong>What do you see as the big difference between signing a petition and sharing it… and getting out in the streets?</strong></p>
<p>We see these as different points along the same continuum, the continuum of engagement and action. For certain folks, the notion of taking direct action — civil disobedience, participation in demonstrations and the like — is quite familiar while for others, it is decidedly less so. Engaging in any form, more of than not, leads to deeper engagement. Ideally, it is the first step in a life-long journey of political and civic participation.</p>
<p><strong>We've been here before, protesting in the streets. Why do you think that this time will make the difference?</strong></p>
<p>The coalition that has come together around this issue is so much broader and more diverse than it has been previously that it can't but be different. There are over 1,000 organizations intimately involved in organizing around the march ranging from faith-based institutions to labor organizations to social justice initiatives, to name just a few.</p>
<p>Historically climate change has been perceived as an environmental issue and the narrative largely supported that perception by driving home the science behind the phenomenon. Now that the debate around the science is essentially closed, the impact of these atmospheric alterations for which we are responsible have become the main focus of our attention and these are as broad and diverse as the global community — as such, they encompass issues of social justice, labor, health, economics.</p>
<p><strong>YouTube has killed our attention span. As a documentary producer myself I find it hard to keep peoples attention on serious subjects — something you do extremely well here, but if people were to watch three minutes of the film, what three minutes should they watch?</strong></p>
<p>We lament the loss of attention span as well and we sincerely hope we have made a film that is sufficiently engaging to hold people's attention for the duration. That being said, if we were forced to select three minutes to watch if that is all one had time for it would be the section unpacking the terrifying tipping point we are threatening to trip. The west Antarctic ice sheet has already begun an irreversible collapse, ocean acidification will lead to a decimation of biodiversity in our waters and the extraordinary impact methane release will have is difficult to imagine. If one wants to be 'scared straight' about the reality we are facing, this section does it better than most nearly anything.</p>
<p><strong>What is your team’s next project?</strong></p>
<p>We are in the final stage of post-production on a documentary titled Requiem for the American Dream, in which Noam Chomsky, one of the most controversial thinkers in the world, lays bare the political, social and economic forces that have transformed the United States into a society of unprecedented inequality. Chomsky dissects the vicious cycle responsible for this staggering concentration of wealth and power with clarity unparalleled in its breadth of historical reference and depth of insight. Filmed in the intimate style of Fog of War, Requiem represents the last long-form interviews conducted with Professor Chomsky and is essential viewing for understanding why and how America has become the country we see today.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/8752">documentaries</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/18054">Filmmaking</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/939">climate change</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/913">global warming</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/14343">Disruption</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/18055">Jared P. Scott</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/17963">People&#039;s Climate March</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/18056">Yann Arthus-Bertrand</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/18057">Eaarth</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/18058">Noam Chomsky</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/969">james hansen</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/18059">Jordan Bramlett</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/greenpeace">greenpeace</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/18060">Mike McSweeney</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/18061">David Ohana</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/18062">Casey Neistat</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/18063">Eric Feijten</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1058">George Marshall</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/18064">Requiem for the American Dream</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/18065">Fog of War</a></div></div></div>Thu, 18 Sep 2014 17:54:16 +0000Guest8524 at http://www.desmogblog.comKeystone XL Review Extended, Delaying Final Decision Until After 2014 Electionshttp://www.desmogblog.com/2014/04/18/keystone-xl-public-comment-period-extended-delaying-final-decision-until-after-2014-elections
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/shutterstock_83447581.jpg?itok=heebUELN" width="200" height="133" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/18/us-usa-keystone-idUSBREA3H0LY20140418">Reuters</a> and <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2014/04/keystone-xl-pipeline-decision-delayed-105825.html">Politico</a> broke a major story today that <a href="http://desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/5420">TransCanada</a>'s northern leg of the <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/5857">Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span></a> <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/2632">tar sands</a> pipeline will not be decided on until after the 2014 mid-term elections.</p>
<p>“The <span class="caps">U.S.</span> State Department will…extend the government comment period on the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline, likely postponing a final decision on the controversial project until after the November 4 midterm elections,” <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/18/us-usa-keystone-idUSBREA3H0LY20140418">Reuters explained</a>.</p>
<p>Secretary of State John Kerry and President Barack Obama have final say over whether the pipeline will be built because it crosses the U.S.-Canada border.</p>
<p>Reporters learned of the decision after a call between high-level congressional staff and State Department officials. </p>
<p>“The justification is the need to wait on continued litigation over a Nebraska court decision earlier this year, which threw part of the project’s route in doubt, two sources said today after a call between the State Department and congressional staff,” <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2014/04/keystone-xl-pipeline-decision-delayed-105825.html#ixzz2zGRCQzJ5">reported Politico</a>.</p>
<p>In the end, the decision came down to politics, according to Politico, though there are no shortage of climate change and ecological concerns for the prospective pipeline.</p>
<p>“A delay past November would spare Obama a politically difficult decision on whether to approve the pipeline, angering his green base and environmentally minded campaign donors — or reject it, endangering pro-pipeline Democrats,” <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2014/04/keystone-xl-pipeline-decision-delayed-105825.html#ixzz2zGRCQzJ5">they reported</a>.</p>
<p><!--break--></p>
<h3>
Proponents and Opponents Respond</h3>
<p>Twitter has been abuzz since rumors of the announcement started swirling and many prominent individuals with a stake in the fight have already chimed in.</p>
<p>“Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> delay further proof that State Department has bungled this process and has no business overseeing environmental reviews,” <a href="https://twitter.com/RossHammondSF/status/457222244868325377">tweeted</a> Friends of the Earth Senior Campaigner <a href="http://www.foe.org/about-us/our-team">Ross Hammond</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.billmckibben.com/">Bill McKibben</a> — whose organization <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/4291">350.org</a> led the civil disobedience <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/tarsands">Tar Sands Action</a> in summer 2011 that put the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> and <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/2632">tar sands</a> on the map for many — also responded. </p>
<p>“It's as if our leaders simply don't understand that climate change is happening in real time–that it would require strong, fast action to do anything about it. While we're at it, the State Department should also request that physics delay heat-trapping operations for a while, and that the El Nino scheduled for later this spring be pushed back to after the midterms. One point is clear: without a broad and brave movement, <span class="caps">DC</span> would have permitted this dumb pipeline in 2011. So on we go.”<br /><br />
Elijah Zarlin, <span class="caps">CREDO</span>'s senior campaign manager, said: “It is deeply disappointing that Secretary Kerry and President Obama can’t yet muster the courage to stand up to the oil industry and reject Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span>. Still, this is yet another defeat for TransCanada, tar sands developers like the Koch Brothers, and oil-soaked politicians. No doubt, the nearly 100,000 people who have pledged to risk arrest to stop Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> played a key role in pushing the administration to more accurately consider the full impact of this project - which must clearly result in rejection. No delays will diminish our commitment to stopping Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span>.”</p>
<p>On the other side, Fox News referred to the decision as a “<a href="http://Friday news dump">Friday News Dump</a>” and the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/American_Energy_Alliance">Koch Brothers-funded American Energy Alliance</a> (<span class="caps">AEA</span>) <a href="https://twitter.com/AEA/status/457227589133008896">tweeted</a>, “Most had never even heard of @justinbieber back when @TransCanada applied for #KeystoneXL permits,” alluding to the fact Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> has now been up for debate for five years. </p>
<p>Industry-funded <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/5976">Energy in Depth</a> spokesman <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/steveeverley">Steve Everly</a> echoed <span class="caps">AEA</span>. </p>
<p>“It took the <span class="caps">U.S.</span> less than 4 years to win two theaters in World War <span class="caps">II</span>,” <a href="https://twitter.com/saeverley/status/457221528657330176">stated Everly</a>. “It's been five years and we can't approve a metal pipe.”</p>
<p>One thing's for certain: the prospective pipeline will likely become a major politico “hot potato” in the months leading up to the November 2014 elections. </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11px;"><em>Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-9037p1.html">Rena Schild</a> | <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-83447581/stock-photo-washington-august-protesters-of-the-keystone-xl-pipeline-hold-a-banner-in-front-of-the-white.html?src=dV-CB42tX1DFdvttOQJtnQ-1-5">Shutterstock</a></em></span></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/reuters">reuters</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/15997">Good Friday</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5976">Energy In Depth</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5062">American Energy Alliance</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5187">Koch brothers</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5188">Kochtopus</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1801">koch family foundation</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4903">David Koch</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4902">Charles Koch</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1800">koch industries</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5968">Koch</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/15998">Easter</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5857">Keystone XL</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/13146">Ross Hammond</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4291">350.org</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/friends-of-the-earth">Friends of the Earth</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2632">tar sands</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/oil-sands">oil sands</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5420">TransCanada</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/3629">Politico</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1106">Congress</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/8765">President Barack Obama</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/15999">U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1269">John Kerry</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1520">Barack Obama</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5538">bitumen</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6950">dilbit</a></div></div></div>Fri, 18 Apr 2014 19:05:56 +0000Steve Horn8023 at http://www.desmogblog.comPeople in Glass Houses Should Not Throw "Boneheads"http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/03/06/people-glass-houses-should-not-throw-boneheads
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/Joseph_Nocera_at_Berkman_Center.jpg?itok=BOjh89Jj" width="200" height="176" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><em>This is a guest post by </em><em>economist <a href="http://www.greatenergychallengeblog.com/author/jamesbarrett/">James P. Barrett, Ph.D.</a></em><br /><br /><em>“Utterly Boneheaded.” </em>That is how <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/opinion/nocera-how-not-to-fix-climate-change.html">Joe Nocera</a>, writing in <em>The New York Times</em> characterized <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/">James Hansen</a> (head of <span class="caps">NASA</span> Goddard Institute for Space Studies), <a href="http://www.billmckibben.com">Bill McKibben</a> (founder of 350.org) and other climate change activists opposing the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline.<br /><br />
If you haven’t been following it, the pipeline in question would bring something called bitumen, extracted from oil soaked sands in Canada, to <span class="caps">U.S.</span> refineries in Texas where they would turn it into oil products for sale <em>on international markets</em>.</p>
<p>If they stop the pipeline to Texas, activists will force oil companies to look at a more expensive plan to build a pipeline to British Columbia and ship the bitumen from there to refineries in China, an alternative that is facing its own opposition within Canada.<br /><br />
What Nocera thinks is boneheaded is not so much that activists want to reduce oil consumption and carbon emissions per se, but their strategy overall. As long as the demand for oil keeps going up, oil producers will keep developing unconventional oil reserves like the Canadian tar sands in question. In Nocera’s view, attacking the pipeline and the tar sands won’t help as long as the demand for oil is strong and growing. The problem, as he sees it is demand, not supply.</p>
<p>Nocera is right, but only to the extent that his point is meaningless.</p>
<!--break-->
<p>Demand and supply are equally important markets. Having one is pointless without having the other. If activists can make supplying oil more difficult, and thus more expensive, oil supply will go down, less oil will make it to market, and less carbon will hit the atmosphere. If oil supply goes down, oil consumption will go down. It’s Economics 101. Literally.</p>
<p>In truth, no matter how expensive activists make it, interfering with the development of Canadian tar sands will have a small if any impact on oil prices.<br /><br />
That’s because oil is bought and sold on a huge global market. The price is set by global economic factors with a fair amount of influence from the largest producers, like Saudi Arabia, that can raise or lower production in response to prices. Oil from the tar sands is a tiny drop in this huge oil barrel.</p>
<p>And this is where Nocera, a former Business columnist for the Times and 10-year veteran of Forbes magazine, goes full bonehead himself.<br /><br />
He claims that Hansen’s hope of charging oil companies a fee based on the pollution their products cause will actually <em>increase</em> oil production. Hansen hopes that such a fee would reduce carbon emissions by 30%.<br /><br />
But Joe Nocera knows better: “…maybe. But it would also likely make the expensive tar sands oil more viable. If you really want to eliminate expensive new fossil fuel sources, the best way is to lower the price of oil, which would render them uneconomical.”</p>
<p>The logic is absurd on its face: Imposing a fee on oil production would increase production of the most expensive types of oil to produce. If taxing things made them more profitable (why else would production go up), then why isn’t the oil industry screaming for new taxes, (or better yet, giving back the <a href="http://www.eli.org/pdf/Energy_Subsidies_Black_Not_Green.pdf">considerable tax breaks</a> they already get)?</p>
<p>Nocera makes an elementary mistake that my freshmen economics students used to make on occasion (very rare occasion): Taxes raise prices that consumers pay, while lowering the prices that producers get. It’s a perfect example of the classic “<a href="http://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/tax_wedge.asp#axzz2M1Y6lc8D">tax wedge</a>,” which I expected my freshmen to understand by the end of their first semester.</p>
<p>The dripping irony is Nocera’s call for reducing oil consumption by encouraging oil production, all framed in an argument that calls others people’s logic “backwards.”<br /><br />
Whatever you think of climate change or the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline, you may not simultaneously claim that the problem with oil markets is high demand while also claiming that increasing oil prices would make the problem worse.</p>
<p>You should probably also not mock people as boneheads while you're doing your best to act like one yourself.<br /><br /><em>Image credit</em>: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Joseph_Nocera_at_Berkman_Center.jpg">Doc Searles | Wikimedia Commons</a></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/12185">Joe Nocera</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5857">Keystone XL</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/3165">canada tar sands</a></div></div></div>Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:00:00 +0000Guest6939 at http://www.desmogblog.comRFK, Jr. & Bill McKibben: Time To Act On Climate Changehttp://www.desmogblog.com/2013/01/09/rfk-jr-bill-mckibben-time-act-climate-change
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/RESIZED%20rof%20logo%20black.jpg?itok=zXiaPwT1" width="200" height="184" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><em>Originally published on <a href="http://www.ringoffireradio.com/2013/01/09/rfk-jr-bill-mckibben-time-for-obama-to-act-on-climate-change/">Ring of Fire</a></em><br /><br />
New reports have come out this week showing us that <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/2012-hottest-year-on-record-in-continental-us-noaa-says/2013/01/08/5c9dc1ae-55d9-11e2-8b9e-dd8773594efc_story.html">2012 was officially the hottest year on record</a>. North America alone was plagued with hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, floods, blizzards, and numerous other forms of weather that have almost all been linked back to anthropogenic climate change. <br /><br />
Earlier this week, <a href="http://www.ringoffireradio.com/2013/01/09/rfk-jr-bill-mckibben-time-for-obama-to-act-on-climate-change/">Ring of Fire Radio’s Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.</a> spoke with <a href="http://www.350.org/">350.org founder Bill McKibben</a> about the threat of climate change and what President Obama needs to do during his second term to address the problem. The transcript of that conversation follows, and the interview will run this weekend on the <a href="http://ringoffireradio.com">Ring of Fire</a> radio program:</p>
<!--break-->
<p><strong>Robert</strong>: Welcome to Ring of Fire. I’m Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Few sitting <span class="caps">US</span> presidents have faced more environmental disasters than President Obama. Some of those disasters like the <span class="caps">BP</span> oil spill were clearly man made while others came in the form of hurricanes, blizzards, droughts and floods that have a more attenuated connection to anthropogenic activity. The natural disasters that have been plaguing this country for the last few years and the world should provide more than enough indication that catastrophic climate change is real and is a serious threat to our planet yet we’ve seen very little action from the President on climate change and an active and aggressive antagonism from the business community and from the Republican Party towards any steps towards controlling our carbon emissions. In his second term Obama hopefully will handle things differently and joining me now to talk about what needs to be done is Bill McKibben, author and founder of 350.org and one of my personal heroes. Welcome to the show Bill.</p>
<p><strong>Bill</strong>: What a pleasure to be with you as always.</p>
<p><strong>Robert</strong>: Let’s start talking about numbers. You gave intellectual clarity to this issue by reducing it to a series of numbers in a Rolling Stones article, very influential article that you published last summer and essentially what you say in that article is that there’s a global consensus that we have to maintain the climate below 2 degrees Fahrenheit and you point out that the two degrees which is a number that was developed back in very, very early probably 1995 that based upon what we’re seeing today that most scientists are saying that’s way too high because we’ve had a 0.8 degree rise already and we’re seeing desertification all over, great floods, hurricanes, etc.</p>
<p>In order to maintain that we have to limit the amount of carbon that we put into the atmosphere to 565 gigatons, but the oil industry and the coal industry own reserves that amount to five times that number and those reserves have already been valued in the marketplace by investors, by pension funds, by schools who have their own pension funds, etc. and it makes the oil industry a very, very difficult snake to tangle with. You’ve one other number which is kind of the solution which is 350.org which is the name of your organization and let’s start with that number.</p>
<p><strong>Bill</strong>: Sure, that’s kind of the bottom line, but unfortunately we’re not going to get back to it soon. Three hundred and fifty parts per million <span class="caps">CO</span>2, that’s how much the scientists say we really could safely have in the atmosphere and have a planet like the one that you and I were born onto. We’re not getting back there anytime soon. The only question now is whether we can keep things from getting absolutely catastrophic. The world, as you say, is defined under catastrophe as a 2 degree increase in temperature. We’re halfway there. If we burn 565 more gigatons of carbon, we’ll be all the way there and that’s bad news and that will take us about 15 years at current rates, but the really bad news is the other number you alluded to. The fact that the fossil fuel industry has in its reserves 27,095 gigatons of carbon, five times that much and what that means, of course, is that really the end of this story has been written. That coal and gas and oil is still below ground, but it’s going to be burned. It’s economically above ground. It’s what their share price is based on and it’s what they borrow money against. It’s going to be burned unless we rewrite this script dramatically and that means building the kind of movement that can stand up to the money power of the richest industry on earth.</p>
<p>The only good news I can give you in a week when we’ve seen the <span class="caps">US</span>, we just found out that the <span class="caps">US</span> came through by a large margin the warmest year in its history last year, in a week where we watched Australia set almost unbelievable records for the warmest temperatures ever seen down under. The only good news I can give you is that that movement is building. As of today, we took those numbers from that Rolling Stone piece and we did this road show out around the country, 22 cities in 24 nights with big capacity crowds, sold out crowds at concert halls and things. By the time we were done there are now 210 <span class="caps">US</span> campuses with divestment campaigns to get their trustees to sell their investments in coal and oil and gas to do what a generation ago people did with investments in apartheid tainted companies.</p>
<p>We’ve got to figure out a way to reduce the legitimacy, take away the social license, tarnish the power of that richest industry, the fossil fuel industry. Maybe if we do then they’ll be some hope for our champions in places like Washington to get something done.</p>
<p><strong>Robert</strong>: Let’s talk about Rex Tillerson who you characterized as one of the most evil people on the planet and I would have to agree with that assessment. This is an outlaw industry and he was the <span class="caps">CEO</span> of Exxon and the <span class="caps">CEO</span> of Chevron incidentally who’s almost as bad, but not quite as big, have promoted, talk about the statements he made recently about change.</p>
<p><strong>Bill</strong>: What an interesting guy. It’s kind of a point where even the head of Exxon can’t deny that the climate is changing. He gave a speech this past summer in which he said for the first time as an Exxon <span class="caps">CEO</span> basically the subtext was ignore all the things my predecessors have told you, the climate is, in fact, changing, but then he said, “Don’t worry, it’s an engineering problem with engineering solutions” and someone says, “Well, what do you mean?” He says, this was the line that really got me, he said, “If we need to move our crop production areas, then we will.” We made a crop production area, I believe, is what other people call a farm, we made it too hot to grow food in the most productive farmland on the face of the earth this summer. The drought and the heat across the Midwest caused the price of grain to go up 40% around the world because of our failed harvest.</p>
<p><strong>Robert</strong>: It broke records that have been standing since the Dust Bowl and as you point out in your article, it’s one of the scary items that lets you know that we’re really headed for a science fiction nightmare is that they had rain in Saudi Arabia when the heat was 109 degrees. The hottest rain ever recorded in the history of the world.</p>
<p><strong>Bill</strong>: Was the hottest rain ever recorded until about six weeks later last summer when in the desert of California they managed to record rain at 116 degrees. It’s something that we thought was physical impossible. The planet is changing with insane speed and we can’t adapt to it easily. We can’t move our farms. It’s true that Exxon has melted the tundra for us, but that doesn’t mean we can just move Iowa up there and start over again. There’s no soil. The risks that we’re taking, the changes that we’re making are far larger than anything humans have done before. This is the epic story of our time. It makes the fiscal cliff or whatever look like a minor pothole in the civilizational road. It’s time to build that movement.</p>
<p>The next big chance for people to help will be President’s Day weekend in <span class="caps">DC</span> on that Sunday, we’re going back to Washington among other things to remind the President that no one’s forgotten about this Keystone Pipeline. That’s something he can block by himself and if he did it would keep 900,000 barrels of oil a day underground. A not insignificant quantity and we’ve got to try and screw up his courage to stand up to the fossil fuel industry. He delayed it for a year and in that year Mother Nature filed her public testimony. We had the hottest year in <span class="caps">US</span> history. We had the drought. We had super storm Sandy. We had the Arctic melting at a completely unprecedented pace. We had a world of trouble and if we’re not going to respond with even the easy stuff like blocking Keystone, I think the odds that we’re going to do anything on the scale that require or banish the next mall.</p>
<p><strong>Robert</strong>: I think one of the keys to getting Obama to act is to get him to read your <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifying-new-math-20120719">Rolling Stone article</a> from last summer. And earlier we were talking about the fiscal cliff and as I read your piece most recently I was thinking about the irony of the panic that you see on Capitol Hill and in the American press about these deficits which are fairly trivial deficits compared to the environmental deficit that we’re running up with the oil industry which is nowhere covered in the press and nowhere addressed seriously by our political system.</p>
<p><strong>Bill</strong>: One of the parts that makes it almost comical to me is that the incredible worry that official Washington has over forecasts for things in their Social Security system for 2047 or 2053 or something .</p>
<p><strong>Robert</strong>: Eighty years from now.</p>
<p><strong>Bill</strong>: Their fervent belief in economic forecasts, but they’re just a complete shrug of the shoulders at the fact that the world’s scientists are now all but unanimously telling them the worst thing that ever happened on the planet is happening right now and you guys were key to stopping it and they can’t, I know why they can’t. They can’t because they’re bought. Chevron two weeks before the election made the largest single campaign donation since Citizens United, millions and millions of dollars into republican congressional races. Then the <span class="caps">CEO</span> of Chevron a couple of weeks after the election said, “Well, don’t ask me what to do about climate change, it’s all up to our world leaders.” Exactly the same guys that he’s pimping into office. This is why we’re trying to stand up to the fossil fuel industry. We’re going to play defense on horrible things like Keystone. We’re going to try and play offense with the fossil fuel industry and turn them into the tobacco industry, take away some of that political power and as I say, the good news is that young people are starting to step up. This campus divestment movement is for real and quite beautiful and I think this demonstration in Washington on President’s Day will be the largest environmental gathering in many, many years in Washington.</p>
<p><strong>Robert</strong>: Bill, one of the scientists that you quote in your article suggests that every gas pump like every cigarette carton that has a picture of somebody with rotting teeth or cancer of the throat, that the gas pumps bear the same kind of warning, that this is killing us.</p>
<p><strong>Bill</strong>: Yes, I suppose that would be good. It’s not that we’re going to be able to stop it with sort of consumer boycotts and things, we can make some changes around the edges with our individual ways of life, but it’s structural reform that’s especially putting some serious price on carbon that has to lead the way. We can’t make those structural reforms until we’ve changed the political balance of powers which is why we do this sort of work and yes, things like that are an important part of it. The good news is if I expose it, it’s good news in a backhanded way, but clearly the events of the last couple of years have taught ordinary Americans a lot about this situation. The polling data shows upwards of three quarters of Americans are now very worried about climate change which is, as you know, it’s hard to get three quarters of Americans to agree on anything and we’d have the political basis there for action were it not for the outsized influence of the richest industry on earth.</p>
<p><strong>Robert</strong>: The <span class="caps">CEO</span> of Chevron gave an interview this week in which he said that there is really no future in solar, wind and that we should stop subsidizing these industries and that the subsidies going to the industries were grotesque. At the same day, the National Energy Agency released the numbers for the global subsidies to the oil industry which were $582 billion compared to around $80 million dollars to the renewables industry and this does not include, by the way, the externalities, not the direct subsidies. The war in Iraq. The <span class="caps">BP</span> oil spill.</p>
<p><strong>Bill</strong>: That’s the tax that you throw into the atmosphere for free. That’s the biggest subsidy of all that we just turn over the atmosphere to them for free. Your listeners will be pleased to know, I’m sure, that and I’m sure they are fretting about this that in the course of the fiscal cliff negotiations the massive tax subsidies to the fossil fuel industry were preserved intact . No worries, no tears need be shed for Shell, <span class="caps">BP</span>, Exxon at all. They did just fine as always.</p>
<p><strong>Robert</strong>: Chevron announced a $24 billion profit. That’s not revenues, but that’s pure profit for this year. The use of the most profitable industry in the history of humankind of commerce and they are still getting these giant subsidies from governments because of the political clout that they’re able to exercise. How do we demonize them?</p>
<p><strong>Bill</strong>: That’s why we’re working very hard on this divestment campaign which is spreading beyond campuses elsewhere. The first city last week in the country, Seattle, to announce that it was divesting its city funds from fossil fuel industries and increasingly religious denominations are doing the same. The Congregationists and the Unitarians are leading the charge here. This is all very good news. It has to be taken on in a big way and we need more than our small forces at 350.org fighting. We’re doing everything that we can, but this is the movement of our time and unless we get people fully engaged. People willing to go to jail. People willing to spend their lives on it, I’d say our odds are slim.</p>
<p><strong>Robert</strong>: It’s hard working with these pension funds because the oil industry is undeniably profitable for its investors and unlike South Africa which was rather easy to divest in back in the ‘70s, these are the hottest stocks in the world and if you go to somebody who’s managing the pension funds for firefighters or for teachers and they have a fiscal responsibility to the members to make sure that that fund grows enough to pay for their retirement, it’s hard for them to get out of those oil stocks.</p>
<p><strong>Bill</strong>: Of course the fiduciary responsibility of those guys is to make sure that there will be a way for people to retire and there’s something deeply ironic about investing in stocks in companies whose business plan guarantees that the planet’s going to tank. It’s at least as ironic as trying to pay for people’s education by investing in companies that pretty much guarantee there won’t be a planet for them to carry out that education on. None of this is easy. If it was easy, I suppose we would have done it. It’s hard. It’ll be a hard job. The only thing harder and it’ll be much harder is trying to inhabit successfully and profitably the world that we’ll create if we don’t get to work really soon.</p>
<p><strong>Robert</strong>: Bill McKibben, a Schumann distinguished scholar at Middlebury College in Vermont. He’s the founder of the global climate and campaign <a href="http://350.org">350.org</a> and the author most recently of “<a href="http://www.billmckibben.com/eaarth/eaarthbook.html">Earth, Making a Life on a Tough New Planet</a>.” Thanks for joining us, Bill.</p>
<p><strong>Bill</strong>: Thank you so much, brother. Take care.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/939">climate change</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2702">obama</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/640">exxon</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/726">rex tillerson</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6668">Robert F Kennedy Jr</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11527">RFK Jr</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/11528">Bobby</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4291">350.org</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6653">Action</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10661">climate silence</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4613">ring of fire</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10382">News</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5886">Rolling Stone</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10385">Current Events</a></div></div></div>Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 +0000Farron Cousins6783 at http://www.desmogblog.comBill McKibben Kicks Off 350.org Do The Math Tour In Seattlehttp://www.desmogblog.com/2012/11/08/bill-mckibben-kicks-do-math-tour-seattle
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/Fossil-Free-350.png?itok=oId4E6b0" width="200" height="114" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Seattle kickoff of <a href="http://math.350.org">350.org's Do The Math tour</a>, which will highlight the imperative for action to keep 80 percent of the fossil fuel industries' tar sands, coal, oil and gas reserves in the ground, or the climate is toast.<br /><br />
Bill McKibben and a cast of guests, including Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and City Councilman Mike O'Brien, along with video appearances by Van Jones, Naomi Klein, Josh Fox and more, called on the roughly 2,000 attendees packed into Benaroya Hall to join together to encourage institutions large and small to divest all fossil fuel companies from their stock portfolios, pension funds, and other holdings.<br /><br />
The tour seeks to inspire citizen-led boycotts, blockades, marches on oil companies' shareholder meetings, and a new <a href="http://gofossilfree.org/">Fossil Free Campus divestment movement</a> modeled after the anti-Apartheid movement of the 1980s.<br /><br />
The message is simple: <a href="http://gofossilfree.org/">Go Fossil Free</a>. McKibben was the first to say, it is a tall order, perhaps impossible, but we have no choice but to try given <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifying-new-math-20120719">global warming's terrifying new math</a>.<br /><br />
Mayor McGinn kicked the night off with a pledge to investigate the potential for Seattle to work towards divestment of its fossil fuel holdings, which received massive applause from the audience. <br /><br />
Before McKibben took the stage, <a href="http://www.theuptake.org/">The UpTake</a>'s Leif Utne had the chance to interview him about the 21-day, 21-city tour that will demonstrate the magnitude of the threat fossil fuels pose to a livable planet, the opportunity Tuesday's election results pose, and a bold new strategy to hit the fossil fuel industries where it hurts.<br /><br /> Watch:</p>
<!--break-->
<p><object height="309" width="550"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lbdJRb7yaWY?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="309" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lbdJRb7yaWY?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="550"></embed></object><br /><br />
Don't miss the Do The Math tour if it passes through your hometown. McKibben will be joined at stops along the way by celebrities and activists including author Naomi Klein and Gasland director Josh Fox (who join via video when not able to be present). Next stops on the tour: Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and then on to the east coast.<br /><br />
Here's a larger photo of the scene inside Benaroya Hall last night.<br /><img alt="" src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/Seattle-Do-The-Math-350.jpg" style="height: 367px; width: 550px;" /><br /><br />
For more info, visit:<br /><a href="http://math.350.org/"><img alt="" src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/Do%20The%20Math%20350%20Tour.png" style="width: 550px; height: 667px;" /></a></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4291">350.org</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10936">Do The Math tour</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10937">Mike McGinn</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10938">Seattle</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/939">climate change</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/913">global warming</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/9558">Math</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2509">alberta tar sands</a></div></div></div>Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:38:38 +0000Brendan DeMelle6645 at http://www.desmogblog.comMerchants of Doubt Deny Climate Change Connection to Hurricane Sandyhttp://www.desmogblog.com/2012/10/31/merchants-doubt-deny-climate-change-connection-hurricane-sandy
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/GP04B7H.jpeg?itok=X-hRGbg4" width="200" height="133" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Many serious, thought-provoking post-mortems have ensued in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, which recently <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/2012/10/31/climate-silence-no-more-sandy-rips-through-east-coast">tore through the heart of the financial capital of the world</a>. The disaster will cost the city roughly $60 billion to repair, <a href="http://Hurricane Sandy Estimated to Cost $60 Billion">according to an <em>Associated Press </em>report</a>. </p>
<p>Figures such as New York Gov. <a href="http://statepolitics.lohudblogs.com/2012/10/30/cuomo-we-have-a-new-reality-when-it-comes-to-these-weather-patterns/">Andrew Cuomo</a>, former President <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7T-Wy17U6M">Bill Clinton</a>, writer and activist <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/31/sandy-climate-change-us-election?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fcommentisfree%2Frss+(Comment+is+free)">Bill McKibben</a>, environmental reporter <a href="http://www.thenation.com/article/170918/hurricane-sandy-greek-tragedy">Mark Hertsgaard</a>, and numerous others all have connected the dots between the tragedy in New York City and its excerbation at the hands of climate change. </p>
<p>On the other side of the spectrum, no matter how bad the tragedy, it seems, climate change denial will continue apace by the “<a href="http://www.merchantsofdoubt.org/">merchants of doubt</a>.” Hurricane Sandy was no exception this time around.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/patrick-michaels">Patrick Michaels</a> of the Koch-funded Cato Institute - who recently authored a report described by <em>Greenpeace <span class="caps">USA</span></em>'s Connor Gibson as a “<a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/2012/10/22/koch-brothers-produce-counterfeit-climate-report-deceive-congress">Counterfeit Climate Report to Deceive Congress</a>” - denied any connection between climate change and Sandy, going so far as to raise the specter of “global cooling.” </p>
<!--break-->
<p>“It’s also consistent with a planet with colder temperatures as well as one with warmer ones,” <a href="http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/the-frankenstorm-in-climate-context/">he told Andy Revkin of <em>The New York Times</em></a>. “More important, events like this are inevitable on a planet that has an ocean with the geography of the Atlantic (meaning a Gulf Stream-like feature), a large north-south continent on its western margin without a transverse mountain range to inhibit the merger of tropical warmth with polar cold, and four seasons in the temperate latitudes.” </p>
<p>Revkin neglected to mention that Michaels told <i><span class="caps">CNN</span></i> in August 2010 that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&amp;v=fguJod_voPc">40-percent of his salary comes straight from the coffers of the oil and gas industry</a>, which <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/slamming-the-climate-skeptic-scam">fuels the climate change denial echo chamber</a>. In similar fashion, back in 2006, <a href="http://www2.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&amp;STORY=/www/story/03-30-2006/0004330403&amp;EDATE=">Michaels denied any connection between climate change and Hurricane Katrina</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/marc-morano">Marc Morano</a> - a climate change denier who gleefully <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/climate-denier-marc-morano-praises-george-w-obama-cop17">lauded President Barack Obama as “George W. Obama”</a> for his inaction on tackling climate change in any meaningful way at last year's United Nations' <span class="caps">COP</span>17 in Durban - also inserted his own polemical take on Hurricane Sandy, <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/18238/Scientists-reject-SandyClimate-Link--Warmists-Go-Full-Tabloid-Climatology--Claim-Sandy-Speaks--Round-Up-of-Hurricane-Sandy-Reactions">stating</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>These new 'Tabloid Climatology' claims by activists attempting to link any weather event to man-made global warming are disgusting. The 'new normal' for climate activists is their ever shifting claims as they morph the entire <span class="caps">AGW</span> argument to focus on extreme weather. They are exploiting any weather event to promote their religious like cause and a storm like Sandy is shamelessly used to gin up fear.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><em>Fox News</em>, as always, served as a key piece of the climate change denial machine's echo chamber. This time around it gave denier <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/joe-bastardi">Joe Bastardi</a> the megaphone on <em>The Sean Hannity Show</em>, where he <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ineqGFSd6PE">denied any connection between climate change and Hurricane Sandy</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Let me tell you, this storm was long overdue…Get used to it along the east coast…We are in a perilous time because the Atlantic's warming, the Pacific's cold, it's the 1950's all over again. The next 5-10 years we're probably going to see several more storms along the eastern seaboard. It has nothing to due with global warming, it has everything to do with nature and then we'll go back to where we were in the '60s and '70s.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Above and beyond this trifecta denying any connection between Hurricane Sandy and climate change, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot"><em>Climate Depot</em></a> has <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/18238/Scientists-reject-SandyClimate-Link--Warmists-Go-Full-Tabloid-Climatology--Claim-Sandy-Speaks--Round-Up-of-Hurricane-Sandy-Reactions">compiled a long list of statements from the denier world</a>. <em>Media Matters</em> also showed that <a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/2012/10/31/fox-hurricane-sandy-has-nothing-to-do-with-glob/191018"><em>Fox News</em> repeated the “no connection”</a> trope on multiple occasions. </p>
<p>If one thing's for certain, Sandy has made evident that no climate change-amplified catastrophe is too tragic for the tobacco playbook team to deny the <a href="http://daraint.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/CVM2ndEd-FrontMatter.pdf">ongoing climate crisis</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Photo Credit</strong>: <a href="http://photo.greenpeace.org/C.aspx?VP3=ViewBox_VPage&amp;VBID=27MZV84X5DUI&amp;IT=ZoomImageTemplate01_VForm&amp;IID=27MZIFVAA44S&amp;PN=8&amp;CT=Search">Greenpeace</a> | <a href="http://photo.greenpeace.org/C.aspx?VP3=ViewBox&amp;VBID=27MZV84X58IX&amp;IT=ThumbImage01_VForm&amp;CT=Search&amp;RW=1256&amp;RH=593">Tim Aubry</a></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/715">Andy Revkin</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1916">global cooling</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1370">cnn</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4878">Joe Bastardi</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7911">George W. Obama</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7890">cop17</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/856">united nations</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10802">Durban Climate Conference</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/the-new-york-times">The New York Times</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10803">Mark Hertsgaard</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7407">Greenpeace USA</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10804">Connor Gibson</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1396">pat michaels</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/patrick-michaels">patrick michaels</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/cato-institute">cato institute</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5187">Koch brothers</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5188">Kochtopus</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1800">koch industries</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4027">Koch Family Foundations</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1278">Associated Press</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/8227">AP</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10805">Hurricane Sandy Damage</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6285">andrew cuomo</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/911">new york</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7257">new york city</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1196">marc morano</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4621">Climate Depot</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/climate-change-denial">climate change denial</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5081">Merchants of Doubt</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10806">Greedy Lying Basterds</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7481">climate change skepticism</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/climate-change-skeptics">climate change skeptics</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/627">Fox News</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/8164">Media Matters for America</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1836">Sean Hannity</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10807">The Sean Hannity Show</a></div></div></div>Thu, 01 Nov 2012 16:43:37 +0000Steve Horn6627 at http://www.desmogblog.comNew Gas Industry Astroturf: Landowner Advocates of NY Buses Activists to Albany Pro-Fracking Rallyhttp://www.desmogblog.com/2012/10/16/astroturf-new-gas-industry-front-group-landowner-advocates-of-ny
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/shutterstock_73151668.jpg?itok=6KwIPrFY" width="200" height="200" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>A pro-fracking rally held on Oct. 15 in Albany, <span class="caps">NY</span> was described by <a href="https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;gl=us&amp;tbm=nws&amp;q=%22rally%22+and+%22albany%22+and+%22natural+gas%22&amp;oq=%22rally%22+and+%22albany%22+and+%22natural+gas%22&amp;gs_l=news-cc.3..43j43i400.2849.11693.0.11895.40.9.0.31.0.0.147.751.8j1.9.0...0.0...1ac.1.rDipd_PNSXY#q=%22rally%22+and+%22albany%22+and+%22natural+gas%22&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=us&amp;tbs=qdr:w,sbd:1&amp;tbm=nws&amp;psj=1&amp;ei=k7d-UPTnB4nFyAGhrIDoDw&amp;start=20&amp;sa=N&amp;bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&amp;fp=4805fa02c18ae429&amp;bpcl=35277026&amp;biw=847&amp;bih=384">about a dozen local media outlets</a> as a gathering of <a href="http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121016/NEWS/210160323">roughly 1,000 grassroots activists</a> from all walks of life.</p>
<p>All came out to add their voice to the conversation regarding the extraction of unconventional gas from the Marcellus Shale basin in New York state. But the marchers weren't concerned landowners worried about losing their water supplies or property values. Their demand: to lift the current moratorium on fracking, which was <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/2012/10/01/cuomo-resets-new-york-fracking-review-consigning-fracking-oblivion">prolonged by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sept. 30</a>.</p>
<p>One rally attendee, Doug Lee, described the ongoing fracking moratorium as a “<a href="http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Supporter-Fracking-ban-is-communist-3951187.php">communist act</a>” to the <em>Albany Times-Union</em>. Another <a href="http://www.evesun.com/news/stories/2012-10-15/16021/Ralliers-say-natural-gas-development-will-restore-future-for-New-Yorkers/">described anti-fracking activists</a> as “well-funded and organized activists masquerading as environmentalists, who often do not need to make a living in our communities.” Republican Sen. Tom Libous, observed that Hollywood stars Mark Ruffalo and Debra Winger weren't on the scene, <a href="http://blog.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/160308/pro-frackers-say-theyve-waited-too-long/\">telling them</a> to “Stay in Hollywood. We don't want you here.”</p>
<p>Unmentioned by any of the news outlets that covered the event was a crucial fact: these weren't actual “grassroots” activists, but rather <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Astroturf">astroturf</a> out-of-towners bused in from counties all across the state. Their journey was paid for by the legitimately “well-funded” oil and gas industry, which raked in <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/02/08/421061/big-oil-higher-prices-record-profits-less-oil/">profits of $1 trillion in the past decade</a>. </p>
<p>According to the <a href="http://www.ohio.com/blogs/drilling/ohio-utica-shale-1.291290/pro-drilling-rally-on-oct-15-in-albany-1.340231">Associated Press</a>, the pro-fracking rally and march were organized by a brand new front group called the <a href="http://www.landowneradvocatesny.org/" style="color: rgb(255, 205, 51); ">Landowner Advocates of New York</a> formed in the immediate aftermath of the recent Cuomo decision to stall on opening the fracking floodgates.</p>
<!--break-->
<p>The well-known <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/%E2%80%98energy-depth%E2%80%99-was-created-major-oil-and-gas-companies-according-industry-memo">industry front group, Energy in Depth</a> (<span class="caps">EID</span>), announced the launch of the Landowner Advocates of New York in an <a href="http://eidmarcellus.org/marcellus-shale/new-group-landowner-advocates-of-new-york-educates-on-natural-gas-and-private-property/13593/">Oct. 3 blog post</a>, mere days after the <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/2012/10/01/cuomo-resets-new-york-fracking-review-consigning-fracking-oblivion">Cuomo announcement</a>. Lee (the same man who accused Cuomo of partaking in a “communist act” by extending the fracking moratorium) wrote about the rationale behind the group's genesis - which he is the head of and which <a href="http://www.whois.net/whois/landowneradvocatesny.org">he registered the website</a> for - in the <a href="http://eidmarcellus.org/marcellus-shale/new-group-landowner-advocates-of-new-york-educates-on-natural-gas-and-private-property/13593/"><span class="caps">EID</span> post announcing the <em>Landowner Advocates' </em>launch</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The urban elite…are more interested in preserving scenic beauty and tranquility of the rural areas than allowing the farmers to make a living. Environmental preservation is a perfect excuse for imposing restrictions on private land use.</p>
<p>(Snip)</p>
<p>To protect private property rights, and to educate the public on the truth behind shale gas development, the Landowner Advocates of New York (<span class="caps">LANY</span>) was formed.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The next day, <span class="caps">EID</span> published another <a href="http://eidmarcellus.org/marcellus-shale/rally-for-truth-and-energy-rally-for-natural-gas-in-albany-october-15/13781/">blog post</a> promoting what it called the “<a href="http://eidmarcellus.org/marcellus-shale/rally-for-truth-and-energy-rally-for-natural-gas-in-albany-october-15/13781/">Truth and Energy Rally</a>.”</p>
<p>Other endorsers of the Landowner Advocates of <span class="caps">NY</span>'s “<a href="http://www.landowneradvocatesny.org/?p=63">Real People, Real Jobs Rally</a>” (an apparent alternative name) included the likes of America's Natural Gas Alliance (<span class="caps">ANGA</span>), the American Petroleum Institute (<span class="caps">API</span>), the New York State Petroleum Council (the state-level version of <span class="caps">API</span>), and the Independent Oil and Gas Association (<span class="caps">IOGA</span>) of <span class="caps">NY</span>.</p>
<p>As <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/%E2%80%98energy-depth%E2%80%99-was-created-major-oil-and-gas-companies-according-industry-memo">exposed by <em>DeSmogBlog</em></a> in Feb. 2011, <span class="caps">EID</span> was formed with the financial grace of <span class="caps">API</span> along with numerous other multinational oil and gas corporations, the very same ones funding <span class="caps">ANGA</span> and <span class="caps">IOGA</span>. </p>
<p>A group with a similar name, the <em><a href="http://www.jlcny.org/site/index.php">Joint Landowners Coalition of New York</a> </em>(<span class="caps">JLCNY</span>) also <a href="http://www.jlcny.org/site/index.php/news-articles/32-frontpage/1343-revised-albany-rally-flier#addcomments">helped promote the rally</a>, organizing bus pick-ups on a statewide basis, <a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:7ObQj2I8fXEJ:www.jlcny.org/site/index.php/news/latest-news-articles/190-rally-bus-pickup+&amp;cd=80&amp;hl=en&amp;ct=clnk&amp;gl=us">according to a Google Cache search</a>. The registered agent for the <span class="caps">JLCNY</span> website is Bryant Tourette, owner of an <a href="http://www.rapidone.com/about.html">Oxford, <span class="caps">NY</span>-based printing company called Rapid Reproductions</a>, according to his <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/bryant/la%20touretteView">LinkedIn page</a> (where he goes by the name Bryant La Tourette). A targetted Google search shows Tourette is a <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=%22Name%3ABryant+Tourette%22&amp;oq=%22Name%3ABryant+Tourette%22&amp;sugexp=chrome,mod=0&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8#q=%22Bryant+la+Tourette%22+and+%22energy+in+depth%22&amp;hl=en&amp;prmd=imvns&amp;ei=bRV-UNHbNMy6yAHd_ICgBA&amp;start=108&amp;sa=N&amp;bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&amp;fp=1bf5dd3d33e5ab69&amp;bpcl=35277026&amp;biw=847&amp;bih=384">ubiquitous commenter</a> on the <em><span class="caps">EID</span> Marcellus</em> blog. </p>
<p>Getting to the root of the issue: this a new well-coordinated campaign by the oil industry to create various front groups, with <span class="caps">EID</span> serving as the effort's centerpiece. Groups like <span class="caps">LANY</span> and <span class="caps">JLOCNY</span> are merely astroturf spin-offs of <span class="caps">EID</span> - an industry front group itself - helping to provide the veneer of widespread grassroots support for fracking in New York state.</p>
<p>Put another way, the Landowner Advocates of New York is a front group of a front group.</p>
<p>As John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton wrote in their seminal book “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trust-Us-Were-Experts-Manipulates/dp/1585421391">Trust Us We're Experts: How Industry Manipulates Science and Gambles with Your Future</a>”:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Public relations firms and corporations have seized upon a slick new way of getting you to buy what they have to sell: Let you hear it from a neutral “third party,” like a professor or a pediatrician or a soccer mom or a watchdog group. The problem is, these third parties are usually anything but neutral. They have been handpicked, cultivated, and meticulously packaged to make you believe what they have to say.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>For the oil and gas industry's public relations operatives, it's just another day at the office running the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Portal:Tobacco">tobacco playbook</a>. Set up another front group to create the illusion of support for more anti-science, anti-health activity.<br /><br />
Will the good folks of the Empire State buy this pack of lies about fracking? Or will they send the astroturfers and their smoke and mirrors packing?</p>
<p><strong>Image Credit</strong>: <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-599386p1.html">Vividz Foto</a> | <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&amp;search_source=search_form&amp;version=llv1&amp;anyorall=all&amp;safesearch=1&amp;searchterm=astroturf&amp;search_group=&amp;orient=&amp;search_cat=&amp;searchtermx=&amp;photographer_name=&amp;people_gender=&amp;people_age=&amp;people_ethnicity=&amp;people_number=&amp;commercial_ok=&amp;color=&amp;show_color_wheel=1#id=73151668&amp;src=3fb78e1b46afc65dd0c9eb6abf1dd067-1-1">ShutterStock</a></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10567">Bryant La Tourette</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6284">david paterson</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10568">Bryant Tourette</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5401">Marcellus shale</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10560">Doug Lee</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10569">Trust Us We&#039;re Experts: How Industry Manipulates Science and Gambles with Your Future</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10570">Albany Times-Union</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7801">Albany</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/911">new york</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10326">NY</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10564">JLCNY</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10565">IOGA</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7410">ANGA</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6013">America&#039;s Natural Gas Alliance</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10566">LANY</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5086">PR</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10562">Debra Winger</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/public-relations">Public Relations</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/propaganda">propaganda</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5133">fracking</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5137">hydraulic fracturing</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5565">shale gas</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7277">shale oil</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6344">unconventional gas</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/8931">unconventional oil</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2800">natural gas</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5976">Energy In Depth</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/9569">EID</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10550">Energy in Depth Marcellus</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/john-stauber">john stauber</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10571">Sheldon Rampton</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10551">EID Marcellus</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10552">Communism</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/9318">Mark Ruffalo</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/997">Hollywood</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6285">andrew cuomo</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10553">Gov. Cuomo</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10554">Governor Andrew Cuomo</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2625">pennsylvania</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10555">Fracking Jobs</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10556">Gas Industry Jobs</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7278">Mainstream Media</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10557">Natural Gas Industry Front Group</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4499">API</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/643">American Petroleum Institute</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/8227">AP</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1278">Associated Press</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10558">Landowner Advocates of New York</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10563">Truth and Energy Rally</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10559">Joint Landowners Coalition of New York</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4463">astroturf</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2859">astroturfing</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10561">FTI Consulting</a></div></div></div>Wed, 17 Oct 2012 05:46:09 +0000Steve Horn6584 at http://www.desmogblog.comClimate SOS Ends with Shale Gas Outrage, Autumn Begins with Global Frackdownhttp://www.desmogblog.com/2012/09/23/climate-sos-ends-shale-gas-outrage-autumn-begins-global-frackdown
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/Screen%20shot%202012-09-23%20at%2011.24.58%20PM.png?itok=WvfPJQDr" width="200" height="116" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Global grassroots activism is heating up alongside a <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/09/23-0">scarily ever-warming climate</a>.</p>
<p>Since the beginning of 2012, we've seen the Arab Spring, the Wisconsin Uprising, the Tar Sands Action, and the ongoing <a href="http://tarsandsblockade.org/">Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> Blockade</a>. In the climate justice movement, some have referred to the recently passed summer as the <a href="http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2012/07/30/climate-sos-its-our-time-to-act/">Climate Summer of Solidarity</a> (<span class="caps">SOS</span>).</p>
<p>The <span class="caps">SOS</span> closed with an action organized by <em>Protecting Our Waters</em> called <a href="http://shalegasoutrage.org/">Shale Gas Outrage</a>, which took place in the heart of the global fracking boom, Philadelphia, <span class="caps">PA</span>, home of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Marcellus_Shale">Marcellus Shale basin</a>. Outrage was warranted, given that this year's <a href="http://shalegasinsight.com/">Shale Gas Insight</a> unfolded in the City of Brotherly Love. Insight was <a href="http://shalegasinsight.com/sponsorship/">sponsored</a> by Chesapeake Energy, Chevron, Range Resources, <span class="caps">EOG</span> Resources, Aqua America (who <a href="http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/reports/fracking-the-new-global-water-crisis/">stands to profit off of water as a scarce resource</a> via fracking), and many others.</p>
<p><a href="http://shalegasoutrage.org/">Speakers at the pre-march rally</a> included the likes of “Gasland” Producer and Director Josh Fox, author and ecologist Sandra Steingraber, environmental journalist and activist Bill McKibben and <em>Food and Water Watch</em> Executive Director Wenonah Hauter; former Pittsburgh City Council member and <a href="http://www.democracynow.org/2012/9/14/pittsburgh_ban_on_natural_gas_fracking">writer of the ordinance</a> that banned fracking in the city, Doug Shields, as well as members of the Pennsylvania community whose livelihoods have been deeply affected at the hands of the shale gas fracking industry. </p>
<p>Upon the rally's completion, activists zig-zagged up and down Philly's streets, <a href="http://shalegasoutrage.org/march-route/">making stops</a> at the Obama for President campaign headquarters and Governor Tom Corbett's campaign headquaters. </p>
<p><!--break-->“Since coming into office, President Obama has permitted every drop of water used to frack in northeast and central Pennsylvania with his vote on the Susquehanna River Basin Commission,” the Shale Gas Outrage <a href="http://shalegasoutrage.org/march-route/">webpage explains</a>. “The Global Shale Gas Initiative was established in his State Department and he has traveled to countries like India, Poland, and China to sign agreements that the <span class="caps">US</span> will assist them in drilling for shale gas.”</p>
<p>Of Corbett, Outrage <a href="http://shalegasoutrage.org/march-route/">explained the reasons behind its march pit stop</a> to his office this way:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Corbett maintains that Pennsylvania should not tax the natural gas industry. In February 2011, Corbett repealed a four month old policy regulating natural gas drilling in park land, deeming it “unnecessary and redundant”. In February 2012, Corbett signed Act 13, overriding all local zoning laws for the gas industry, and putting a gag order on doctors.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Photos from the march are <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.359717414106073.80746.150660375011779&amp;type=3&amp;l=4476192b0b">now up on the <em>Protecting Our Waters</em> Facebook page</a>.<br /><img alt="" src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/426182_10151097931313031_1841648330_n.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 358px;" /><br /><em>Capetown, South Africa </em></p>
<h3>
Global Frackdown</h3>
<p>The first day of fall began where the <span class="caps">SOS</span> left off: with an action called the <a href="http://www.globalfrackdown.org/">Global Frackdown</a>, led in the forefront by <em>Food and Water Watch</em>.</p>
<p>Actions unfolded on five continents and as <a href="http://ecowatch.org/2012/thousands-rally-around-the-world-to-ban-fracking/"><em>EcoWatch</em> wrote</a>, “united activists on five continents at more than 150 events calling for a ban on fracking in their communities and to advocate for the development of clean, sustainable energy solutions.”</p>
<p><em>EcoWatch</em> <a href="http://ecowatch.org/2012/thousands-rally-around-the-world-to-ban-fracking/">went on to depict</a> the truly worldwide nature of the protests:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Major actions overseas included a rally on the steps of the European Parliament; demonstrations in front of Parliament buildings in South Africa, Bulgaria and the Czech republic; marches in Argentina; grassroots activities in Paris and the south of France, and screenings of the film Gasland in Spain.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Photos from rallies around the world can be seen on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151093564123031.447588.50982313030&amp;type=3"><em>Food and Water Watch </em>Facebook page</a>.<br /><img alt="" src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/552139_359007734177041_1425696891_n.jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 364px;" /><br /><em>Philadelphia Shale Gas Outrage</em></p>
<h3>
A Frackivism Fall? It All Comes Back to Egypt</h3>
<p>Egypt was one of the first hubs of the Arab Spring. Now, shale gas industry wildcatters see the country as a new possible home for fracking, as covered in a Sept. 19 <a href="http://eipr.org/en/pressrelease/2012/09/19/1492">blog post</a> published by the <em>Egyptian Initiative on Personal Rights </em>(<span class="caps">EIPR</span>). Royal Dutch Shell and Apache have expressed interest in extracting Egypt's shale deposits.</p>
<p><span class="dquo">“</span>Fracking threatens Egypt's drinking water, but Shell and Apache's drilling is mired in secrecy. Egyptians have a right to know how their resources are managed and how that impacts their environment and life,” <a href="http://eipr.org/en/pressrelease/2012/09/19/1492">said Reem Labib</a>, Environmental Justice Researcher at <span class="caps">EIPR</span>.</p>
<p>A year and a half after the Arab Spring, are we about to bear witness to a “Fracktivist Fall”? Well that's not likely.</p>
<p>Then again, neither was the Arab Spring.</p>
<p><strong>Photo Credit</strong>: <a href="http://shalegasoutrage.org/">Protecting Our Waters</a></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7119">Shale Gas Outrage</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10285">Susquehanna River Basin Commission</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/9803">PA Act 13</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1092">India</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1096">Poland</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/761">china</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10286">Corbett Doctor Gag Order</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5565">shale gas</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10287">Keystone XL Blockade</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/9802">Pennsylvania Act 13</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/9458">doug shields</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10288">Pittsburgh Fracking Ban</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10289">Pittsburgh Hydraulic Fracturing Ban</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5109">gasland</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/8915">EcoWatch</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10290">Global Frackdown</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/8670">Wenonah Hauter</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5573">State Department</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/9349">U.S. State Department</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10291">U.S Department of State</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10292">United States State Department</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10293">United States Department of State</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10294">Global Shale Gas Initiative</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5760">josh fox</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7875">Sandra Steingraber</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6666">Food and Water Watch</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10295">Egyptian Initiative on Personal Rights</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/royal-dutch-shell">Royal Dutch Shell</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/648">shell oil</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10296">Apache Energy</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10297">Fracktivist Fall</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10298">Climate SOS</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7120">Protecting Our Waters</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10299">Shale Gas Insight</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6356">Chesapeake Energy</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6158">Range Resources</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/chevron">chevron</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10300">Aqua America</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7566">EOG Resources</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/8765">President Barack Obama</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6087">Governor Tom Corbett</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4754">President Obama</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1520">Barack Obama</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6040">Tom Corbett</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10301">Climate Summer of Solidarity</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10302">Summer of Solidarity</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7308">tar sands action</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10303">Arab Spring</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10304">Fracking in Egypt</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10305">Egypt Fracking</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10306">Hydraulic Fracturing Egypt</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10307">Egypt Natural Gas</a></div></div></div>Mon, 24 Sep 2012 06:39:19 +0000Steve Horn6540 at http://www.desmogblog.comDaily Kos Climate Change SOS Blogathon Features Wide Range of Climate Hawk Voiceshttp://www.desmogblog.com/2012/08/23/daily-kos-climate-change-sos-blogathon-features-wide-range-climate-hawk-voices
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/Daily%20Kos.png?itok=Nk1MvbsP" width="200" height="54" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Our friends over at <a href="http://www.dailykos.com">Daily Kos</a> are running an amazing Climate Change <span class="caps">SOS</span> Blogathon this week, featuring dozens of voices from the climate hawk community. Bill McKibben, Michael Mann, John Abraham, Rep. Ed Markey, A Siegel, Richard Heinberg, Heather Libby, Brad Johnson, Kelly Rigg and DeSmog's <span class="caps">IT</span> director Evan Leeson are just some of the many friends of DeSmog that are contributing posts throughout the week-long blogathon.</p>
<p>I jumped into the action as well, contributing a piece on Tuesday titled <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/21/1122694/-Breaking-Up-With-Polluters-To-Save-The-Climate-CCSOS">Breaking Up With Polluters To Save The Climate</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/23/1123190/-Climate-Change-SOS-Blogathon-Sea-Level-Rise-Extreme-History-Uncertain-Future">Greg Laden just posted a scary piece</a> about the implications of sea level rise for future generations.</p>
<p>There is a lot of great content. I highly recommend heading over to Daily Kos to check it out. Here is a full run-down of the posts so far. Stay tuned to the Climate Change <span class="caps">SOS</span> Blogathon box at the bottom of most posts to keep up with the newer entries.</p>
<!--break-->
<ul><li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/17/1121008/-Reports-of-Climate-Change-from-Your-Backyard">Reports of Climate Change from Your Backyard: I</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/19/1121820/-Climate-Change-SOS-Blogathon-Romney-s-Illiteracy-Election-Vulnerability">Romney’s Illiteracy <span class="amp">&amp;</span> Election Vulnerability </a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/20/1121887/-Climate-Change-SOS-Blogathon-Could-better-analysis-save-humanity">Could better analysis save humanity?</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/20/1121541/--Alarm-bells-on-climate-change-as-extreme-weather-events-sweep-the-world-CSOS">Alarm bells on climate change as extreme weather events sweep the world</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/20/1121340/-Climate-Challenge-Two-Questions-For-Mitt-Romney">Climate Challenge: Two Questions For Mitt Romney</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/20/1122223/-Climate-Change-SOS-Blogathon-Visions-of-the-Future">Visions of the Future?</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/20/1121963/-Why-Climate-Literacy-Matters">Why Climate Literacy Matters</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/20/1122026/-Climate-Change-SOS-Are-Americans-Waking-Up">Are Americans Waking Up?</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/20/1122010/-Distributed-Ecology">Distributed Ecology</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/20/1120419/-Ignore-climate-Cassandra-at-our-peril">Ignore climate Cassandra at our peril</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/20/1122303/-Building-Resilience-in-a-Changing-Climate-CCSOS">Building Resilience in a Changing Climate</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/20/1122083/-Climate-change-just-isn-t-Santa-anymore">Climate change just isn’t Santa anymore</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/21/1122318/-Climate-Change-SOS-We-Really-Can-t-Afford-to-Wait">We Really Can’t Afford to Wait</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/21/1122457/-Climate-Change-SOS-Solutions-for-a-way-forward">Solutions for a way forward</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/21/1121858/-We-are-not-just-berries-and-fish">We are not just berries and fish</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/21/1121936/-A-Tiny-Island-in-a-Sea-of-Change">A Tiny Island in a Sea of Change</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/21/1122249/-Climate-Change-SOS-Cities-Key-To-Low-Carbon-Future">Cities Key To Low Carbon Future</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/21/1122694/-Breaking-Up-With-Polluters-To-Save-The-Climate-CCSOS">Breaking Up With Polluters To Save The Climate</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/21/1120065/-Climate-Change-SOS-Soil-is-the-Solution-or-the-most-important-environmental-story-I-ll-ever-write">Soil is the Solution, or the most important environmental story I’ll ever write</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/21/1122420/-Climate-Change-SOS-It-s-time-we-face-the-truth">It’™s time we face the truth</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/21/1122216/-Climate-Change-SOS-Five-Recent-Hits-From-The-Climate-Letter-Project">Climate Change <span class="caps">SOS</span>: Five Recent Hits From The Climate Letter Project</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1122834/-Climate-Change-SOS-Wednesday-What-did-you-do-once-you-knew">What did you do once you knew?</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1122884/-Breaking-Romney-s-eerie-silence-on-climate-change">Breaking Romney’s eerie silence on climate change</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1122078/-Hot-Very-Hot-Extremely-Hot-Summers">Hot, Very Hot, Extremely Hot Summers</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1122650/-Take-it-from-Yale-What-we-really-need-to-communicate-about-climate-change">Take it from Yale: What we really need to communicate about climate change</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1122177/-Move-Beyond-Coal-Now-The-Global-Anti-Coal-Movement-Is-Here">Move Beyond Coal Now! The Global Anti-Coal Movement Is Here</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1122894/-Which-Side-Are-You-On">Which Side Are You On</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1122994/-Attacks-on-climate-change-education-are-attacks-on-our-future">Attacks on climate change education are attacks on our future</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1122497/-Time-Is-Wasting">Time Is Wasting</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1123094/-Karl-Burkhart-The-Solutions-to-Climate-Change-are-within-our-Grasp-CCSOS">Karl Burkart: The Solutions to Climate Change are within our Grasp</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1123097/-Raspberries-Salmon-Hops-Personal-loss-and-climate-change">Raspberries, Salmon, Hops: Personal loss and climate change</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1121548/--Global-Warming-s-Terrifying-New-Math-CSOS"><span class="dquo">“</span>Global Warming’s Terrifying New Math”</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1122357/-Climate-Change-SOS-Where-Was-the-Gas">Where Was the Gas?</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/23/1123157/-Climate-Change-SOS-Climate-Change-and-Congress">Climate Change and Congress</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/23/1123244/-Our-Nation-s-Children-Calling-on-a-President-to-Avert-the-Climate-Crisis">Our Nation’s Children, Calling on a President to Avert the Climate Crisis</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/23/1122746/-Climate-Changes-SOS-Leadership-Partisanship-and-Public-Opinion">Leadership, Partisanship, and Public Opinion</a></li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/23/1122977/-From-Birmingham-to-Bamako-How-Farmers-Deal-with-Drought">From Birmingham to Bamako: How Farmers Deal with Drought</a> <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/23/1123190/-Climate-Change-SOS-Blogathon-Sea-Level-Rise-Extreme-History-Uncertain-Future">Sea Level Rise…Extreme History, Uncertain Future</a></li>
</ul>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/michael-mann">michael mann</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1500">Rep. Edward Markey</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2863">daily kos</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4965">brad johnson</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5055">John Abraham</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/9983">climate change sos blogathon</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10000">climatehawks</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10001">Richard Heinberg</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10002">Kelly Rigg</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10003">Evan Leeson</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/10004">climate blogs</a></div></div></div>Thu, 23 Aug 2012 19:09:48 +0000Brendan DeMelle6481 at http://www.desmogblog.comVideo of Keystone XL Tar Sands Protesters Arrested At The White Househttp://www.desmogblog.com/video-keystone-xl-tar-sands-protesters-arrested-white-house
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/6107318134_aeb5a1e3f9_z.jpg?itok=LPhDjES3" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Usually the best way to solve a neighborly spat is to march right up to the door and talk it out, face-to-face. However, if said neighbor happens to be away a lot and has rooftop snipers protecting the property, Plan B may be in order: shouting through the fence.<br /><br />
That's why for two weeks over <a href="http://www.tarsandsaction.org/press/releases/">1250 people</a> got arrested in front of the White House in an attempt to show President Obama that putting a leaky, oily pipeline through their collective backyards is not a very neighborly thing to do. Each day of the protest averaged between 50-100 arrests, steadily increasing until the 14th (and last) day when 244 people were arrested, resulting in the largest act of civil disobedience yet for the climate movement.<br /><br />
Participants protesting the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline spanned a wide range of ages, occupations, and origins: including those from the heartland of the Midwest where the pipeline is set to run through, and indigenous and frontline communities situated near the tar sands in Canada.</p>
<!--break-->
<p><br />
According to organizers, this is <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj6gN8u5flM">Phase 1</a> of the campaign, with <a href="http://www.tarsandsaction.org/next-steps/">Phase 2</a> coming up quickly behind in early October. President Obama will supposedly decide the fate of the pipeline in approximately 90 days, and in the meantime people have been encouraged to give his campaign offices a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAfqFraOE0s">friendly visit</a>.<br /><br />
Watch the video below for a look at the last day of the arrests in <span class="caps">DC</span>:</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-video-blog field-type-file field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="media-youtube-outer-wrapper" id="media-youtube-1" style="width: 480px; height: 360px;">
<div class="media-youtube-preview-wrapper" id="media_youtube_bKvNbOubIeI_1">
<object width="480" height="360">
<param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bKvNbOubIeI?version=3"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="wmode" value="transparent" />
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bKvNbOubIeI?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="360" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent"></embed>
</object> </div>
</div>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/fossil-fuels">fossil fuels</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/969">james hansen</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2632">tar sands</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2702">obama</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5857">Keystone XL</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6031">activism</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6276">Naomi Klein</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6311">Washington DC</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6490">daryl hannah</a></div></div></div>Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:15:00 +0000Laurel Whitney5720 at http://www.desmogblog.comKeystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline Action Pagehttp://www.desmogblog.com/tarsands
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/Tar%20Sands%20by%20Robert%20van%20Waarden_0.png?itok=JZzwFBIf" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Below is a compilation of fact sheets, information resources and action items from environmental groups, governments and other groups surrounding the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keystone_Pipeline" target="_blank">Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline</a> and the Canadian tar sands. Please contact us or comment below if you know of additional resources we should add to this page.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.tarsandsaction.org/" target="_blank">TarSandsAction.org</a></strong> - Coalition organizing the White House protest and a <a href="http://www.tarsandsaction.org/obama-petition/" target="_blank">10,000+ strong petition</a> urging President Obama to say no to the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.foe.org/keystone-xl-pipeline" target="_blank"><strong>Friends of the Earth</strong>'s Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline</a> resource page, <a href="http://action.foe.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=7631" target="_blank">petition</a> and report “<a href="http://www.foe.org/dirty-business-transcanada" target="_blank">Dirty Business: How TransCanada Pipelines bullies farmers, manipulates oil markets, threatens fresh water and skimps on safety in the United States</a>.”</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nrdc.org/energy/dirtyfuels_tar.asp" target="_blank"><strong><span class="caps">NRDC</span></strong>'s Stop Dirty Fuels: Tar Sands</a> - Fact sheets about tar sands, <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/keystonexl.php" target="_blank">Switchboard blogs</a> on the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline, and a <a href="https://secure.nrdconline.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&amp;page=UserAction&amp;id=2374&amp;s_src=sw" target="_blank">BioGems petition to stop the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nwf.org/Global-Warming/Policy-Solutions/Drilling-and-Mining/Tar-Sands/Keystone-XL-Pipeline.aspx" target="_blank"><strong>National Wildlife Federation</strong>'s Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> Pipeline page</a> and <a href="http://www.nwf.org/Global-Warming/Policy-Solutions/Drilling-and-Mining/Tar-Sands.aspx" target="_blank">Tar Sands page</a>- numerous fact sheets on Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> and tar sands.<!--break--><br /><br /><a href="http://priceofoil.org/2011/08/31/report-exporting-energy-security-keystone-xl-exposed/" target="_blank"><strong>Oil Change International</strong>'s report “Exporting Energy Security: Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> Exposed”</a> debunking the claims that Canadian tar sands oil is good for <span class="caps">U.S.</span> national security.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.boldnebraska.org/pipeline-background-resources" target="_blank"><strong>Bold Nebraska</strong>'s Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> resource page</a> and <a href="http://boldnebraska.org/dear" target="_blank">letter urging Secretary Clinton and Governor Heineman to deny TransCanada's permit request</a>.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://standwithrandy.com/" target="_blank">Stand With Randy</a></strong> - Nebraska farmer and landowner Randy Thompson's page opposing the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline.<br /><br /><a href="http://journalstar.com/news/local/article_49eeb3fd-b4f1-5e79-99ae-aea09c7757ab.html#ixzz1Wcms3nSl" target="_blank"><strong>Nebraska Governor Dave </strong></a><a href="http://journalstar.com/news/local/article_49eeb3fd-b4f1-5e79-99ae-aea09c7757ab.html#ixzz1Wcms3nSl" target="_blank"><strong>Heineman</strong></a>'s <a href="http://blog.nwf.org/wildlifepromise/2011/08/nebraska-governor-tells-feds-keystone-xl-route-unsafe/" target="_blank">letter</a> urging President Obama and Hillary Clinton to reject TransCanada's Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> permit.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.energynow.com/video/2011/08/31/chu-says-us-energy-security-trade-off-favors-oil-sands-pipeline" target="_blank"><strong>energyNOW!</strong> interview with <span class="caps">DOE</span> Secretary Steven Chu</a> about the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span>.</p>
<p><a href="http://ran.org/category/issue/tar-sands" target="_blank"><strong>Rainforest Action Network</strong>'s tar sands page</a> with reports and fact sheets on Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/campaigns/tarsands/Learn-about/" target="_blank"><strong>Greenpeace Canada</strong>'s tar sands page</a> and report <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/france/PageFiles/266537/dirtyoil.pdf" target="_blank">“Dirty Oil: How the Tar Sands Are Fueling the Global Climate Crisis” [<span class="caps">PDF</span>]</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.avaaz.org/en/canadas_deadly_oil/" target="_blank"><strong>Avaaz</strong>'s petition</a> against the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/25/1009966/-State-Dept-Minimizes-Tar-Sands-Impact-Action-NOW?via=siderecent" target="_blank"><strong>DailyKos</strong> page with sample letters to the editor</a> about the State Department's Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> decision.<br /><br /><a href="http://dirtyoilsands.org/" target="_blank"><strong>DirtyOilSands.org</strong></a> website about the Canadian tar sands.<br /><br /><a href="http://gcmonitor.org/section.php?id=239"><strong>Global Community Monitor</strong></a>'s tar sands page and <a href="http://youtu.be/STjmIHoMMEM">video</a> about impacts of tar sands development on <span class="caps">U.S.</span> fenceline communities.<br /><br /><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s7YD-u9w-kvYacLzm6RqhRxWqoc5P7C7wRhqo1zWLTg/edit?hl=en_US&amp;pli=1" target="_self"><strong>Interfaith Religious Contingent</strong> Against Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> Pipeline</a><br /><br /><a href="http://blog.sojo.net/tag/climate-change/" target="_self"><strong>Sojourners</strong> religious site</a> with tons of content about Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> and climate issues.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/clientsite/keystonexl.nsf?Open" target="_blank"><strong><span class="caps">U.S.</span> State Department</strong> page on the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.transcanada.com/keystone.html" target="_blank"><strong>TransCanada</strong> description of its Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline proposal</a>.<br /><br /><em>Selected readings about the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline</em>:<br /><br /><span class="caps">NASA</span> scientist <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/%7Ejeh1/mailings/2011/20110603_SilenceIsDeadly.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>James Hansen</strong>'s “Silence Is Deadly”</a> [<span class="caps">PDF</span>] June 2011 piece about Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span>.<br /><br /><a href="http://motherjones.com/environment/2011/08/bill-mckibben-arrested-keystone-xl-pipeline" target="_blank"><strong>Bill McKibben</strong>: “Why I Got Arrested Over the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> Pipeline”</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/22/opinion/tar-sands-and-the-carbon-numbers.html" target="_blank"><strong>New York Times</strong> Editorial</a> urging President Obama to reject the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> proposal.</p>
<p><a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/13/nation/la-na-pipeline-keystone-20110713" target="_blank"><strong>Los Angeles Times</strong> article</a> exposing a 2009 cable from the <span class="caps">U.S.</span> Embassy in Ottawa showing early <span class="caps">U.S.</span> support for Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> long before the appropriate agency review process.<br /><br /><a href="http://thetyee.ca/Series/2011/03/15/WarOverOilSands/" target="_blank"><strong>The </strong><strong>Tyee</strong>'s 'War Over Oil Sands'</a> series of reports.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/photo-essay-canada-s-filthy-tar-sands-why-keystone-xl-must-be-stopped"><strong>Robert van </strong><strong>Waarden</strong>'s photo essay</a> of the impacts of tar sands development on Canadian First Nations communities.<br /><br /><strong>DeSmogBlog</strong>'s ongoing <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/5857">coverage of the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span></a> issue as well as our <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/directory/vocabulary/2632">tar sands coverage</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.markfiore.com" target="_blank"><strong>Mark </strong></a><a href="http://www.markfiore.com" target="_blank"><strong>Fiore</strong></a>'s “State Department Oil Services” animation commissioned by DeSmogBlog:<br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" height="345" width="420"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Mtr1kU0b_Gw?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Mtr1kU0b_Gw?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420"></embed></object></p>
<p>Please contact us or comment below if you know of additional resources that should be added to this page.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/friends-of-the-earth">Friends of the Earth</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/690">new york times</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/752">rainforest action network</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/969">james hansen</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2580">alberta oil sands</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2632">tar sands</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2812">oil change international</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/3037">hillary clinton</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/3054">mark fiore</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/3373">NRDC</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4132">National Wildlife Federation</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5455">robert van waarden</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5573">State Department</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5856">TransCanada Corporation</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5857">Keystone XL</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6971">energyNOW!</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7211">TarSandsAction.org</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7212">Bold Nebraska</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7213">Randy Thompson</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7214">DailyKos</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7215">DirtyOIlSands.org</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/7216">Dave Heineman</a></div></div></div>Thu, 01 Sep 2011 09:50:26 +0000Brendan DeMelle5636 at http://www.desmogblog.comOver One Hundred Arrested Protesting Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipeline At White Househttp://www.desmogblog.com/over-one-hundred-arrested-protesting-keystone-xl-tar-sands-pipeline-white-house
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/Steve%20Liptay.jpg?itok=wyhgtA6A" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>The <span class="caps">DC</span> police force must have recently put in a big order for plasti-cuffs. The commencement of the <a href="http://www.tarsandsaction.org/" target="_blank">Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline protest</a>, which kicked off this past weekend, saw <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61837.html">over 100 arrested</a> in the first two days. But there won’t be time for a donut break yet, as the action is set to continue over the next two weeks with over 2,000 people signed up to get arrested in protest of the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> tar sands pipeline that would carry the world’s filthiest oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast if approved by the Obama administration. <br /><br />With people coming in from all around the nation, protesters hope to pressure President Obama to deny the permit needed to build the proposed 1700-mile pipeline from Alberta to the <span class="caps">US</span> Gulf Coast. <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/expert-warns-transcanada-s-keystone-xl-pipeline-assessments-are-misleading">Reports</a> about the supposed <a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/aswift/ntons_tar_sands_pipeline_safet.html">safety</a> of the pipeline have proven <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/proposed-keystone-xl-pipeline-would-feature-woefully-inadequate-spill-detection-system">less than stellar</a>, and TransCanada <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/many-problems-tar-sands-pipelines">pipelines</a> have already had <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/08/17/297576/oil-spills-transcanada-keystone-xl-pipeline/ ">12 spills</a> this year. The administration must make a decision about the pipeline by November 1st, and there is pressure coming from cheerleaders of pollution such as the <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/u-s-chamber-commerce-launches-campaign-lobby-keystone-xl-tar-sands-pipeline">Chamber of Commerce</a> and <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/american-petroleum-institute%E2%80%99s-oilsands-advertising-campaign-pressure-state-department-approve-keystone-xl">Americans for Prosperity</a>, to name a few, for the pipeline to go through.</p>
<p><span class="dquo">“</span>It’s not the easiest thing on earth for law-abiding folk to come risk arrest. But this pipeline has emerged as the single clear test of the president’s willingness to fight for the environment,” said environmentalist and author Bill McKibben, who is spearheading the protests and was arrested on Saturday.<br /><!--break--><br />On the first day, 70 people were arrested in total, but only a few of the <span class="caps">DC</span> residents within the group were released later that night. The others, including Bill McKibben and former White House official Gus Speth, were detained for the rest of the weekend. Organizers who had been in contact with the police were originally told to expect a “Post and Forfeit” charge, which would be the equivalent of a $100 fine and violation. However, <span class="caps">DC</span> Park Police have <a href="http://www.tarsandsaction.org/fifty-more-americans-arrested-at-white-house-on-day-2-of-sit-in-over-oil-pipeline/">explicitly stated</a> that they are keeping people overnight to “deter future participants”, a <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/bidder-70-26-catalyst-will-ignite-climate-movement">familiar retort that does not usually hold any weight with activists</a>. <br /><br />Even with police warnings, 50-100 people are expected to get arrested and earn their activist merit badges each day of the protest, which continues until the 3rd of September, including during the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication on the 28th. The last day of the protest will culminate in a rally at the White House. <br /><br />Bill McKibben <a href="http://www.tarsandsaction.org/bill-mckibbens-statement-from-jail/" target="_blank">sent a welcome message</a> from the clink, “We don’t need sympathy, we need company.”<br /><br />Watch a video about the <a href="http://www.tarsandsaction.org/first-day-video/">first day of the action from tarsandsaction.org</a>:</p>
<p>
<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="560" height="345" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/X4YkvHBqp7U?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/X4YkvHBqp7U?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
</p>
<p><em>Photo by Steve Liptay</em></p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2632">tar sands</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/3844">Obama administration</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5420">TransCanada</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5857">Keystone XL</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6031">activism</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6035">civil disobedience</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6726">Gus Speth</a></div></div></div>Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:44:23 +0000Laurel Whitney5662 at http://www.desmogblog.comScientists and Activists Issue A Call To Action To Stop Keystone XL Tar Sands Pipelinehttp://www.desmogblog.com/scientists-and-activists-issue-call-action-stop-keystone-xl-tar-sands-pipeline
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/ObamaKXL_beach_200x167_0.gif?itok=n86cRzOe" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>A group of eleven veteran <span class="caps">U.S.</span> and Canadian scientists and environmentalists today<a href="http://www.tarsandsaction.org/" target="_blank"> jointly issued a call to action for non-violent civil disobedience in front of the White House</a> later this summer to stop the proposed Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline. This proposed Transcanada pipeline, which must be approved by President Obama in order to proceed, would carry filthy tar sands oil from Alberta to <span class="caps">U.S.</span> Gulf Coast refineries, and further solidify North America’s commitment to mutual fossil fuel addiction for generations to come. <br /><br />“This is one issue where the president has total control–he has to grant or deny the necessary permits. Congress can’t get in the way. It’s where Obama can get his environmental mojo back. But we need him to lead,” said Bill McKibben, author, DeSmogBlog contributor and signatory on the letter.<br /><br />The letter ask citizens to come to Washington for a peaceful and dignified protest against the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline, which the authors describe as a “1500-mile fuse to the continent’s biggest carbon bomb.” <!--break--><br /><br />Climate scientist James Hansen, another signatory, notes that there’s enough carbon in the tar sands, were it all burned, to increase the atmospheric concentration of <span class="caps">CO</span>2 by nearly 50%. If the tar sands get fully developed, said Hansen, “it is essentially game over” for the climate.<br /> <br />Bill McKibben states that the protest isn’t designed to rail against Obama, but rather to do what the President asked of citizens when he was elected - pressure him to get it right on climate. <br /><br />“The last thing we want to do is harass the president–instead we’re asking people to dig those Obama buttons out of their closet and wear them when they protest. The president asked supporters to keep pressuring him once he was in office, and we’re going to try and make it clear there is real support for action on climate,” McKibben said.<br /> <br />Signatories of the letter include Maude Barlow, Wendell Berry, Tom Goldtooth, Danny Glover, James Hansen, Wes Jackson, Naomi Klein, Bill McKibben, George Poitras, David Suzuki, Gus Speth. <br /><br />The full text of the letter is below:<br /><br />Dear Friends<br /><br />This will be a slightly longer letter than common for the internet age—it’s serious stuff.<br /><br />The short version is we want you to consider doing something hard: coming to Washington in the hottest and stickiest weeks of the summer and engaging in civil disobedience that will quite possibly get you arrested.<br /><br />The full version goes like this:<br /><br />As you know, the planet is steadily warming: 2010 was the warmest year on record, and we’ve seen the resulting chaos in almost every corner of the earth.<br /><br />And as you also know, our democracy is increasingly controlled by special interests interested only in their short-term profit.<br /><br />These two trends collide this summer in Washington, where the State Department and the White House have to decide whether to grant a certificate of ‘national interest’ to some of the biggest fossil fuel players on earth. These corporations want to build the so-called ‘Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> Pipeline’ from Canada’s tar sands to Texas refineries.<br /><br />To call this project a horror is serious understatement. The tar sands have wrecked huge parts of Alberta, disrupting ways of life in indigenous communities—First Nations communities in Canada, and tribes along the pipeline route in the <span class="caps">U.S.</span> have demanded the destruction cease. The pipeline crosses crucial areas like the Oglalla Aquifer where a spill would be disastrous—and though the pipeline companies insist they are using ‘state of the art’ technologies that should leak only once every 7 years, the precursor pipeline and its pumping stations have leaked a dozen times in the past year. These local impacts alone would be cause enough to block such a plan. But the Keystone Pipeline would also be a fifteen hundred mile fuse to the biggest carbon bomb on the continent, a way to make it easier and faster to trigger the final overheating of our planet, the one place to which we are all indigenous.<br /><br />How much carbon lies in the recoverable tar sands of Alberta? A recent calculation from some of our foremost scientists puts the figure at about 200 parts per million. Even with the new pipeline they won’t be able to burn that much overnight—but each development like this makes it easier to get more oil out. As the climatologist Jim Hansen (one of the signatories to this letter) explained, if we have any chance of getting back to a stable climate “the principal requirement is that coal emissions must be phased out by 2030 and unconventional fossil fuels, such as tar sands, must be left in the ground.” In other words, he added, “if the tar sands are thrown into the mix it is essentially game over.” The Keystone pipeline is an essential part of the game. “Unless we get increased market access, like with Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span>, we’re going to be stuck,” said Ralph Glass, an economist and vice-president at <span class="caps">AJM</span> Petroleum Consultants in Calgary, told a Canadian newspaper last week.<br /><br />Given all that, you’d suspect that there’s no way the Obama administration would ever permit this pipeline. But in the last few months the administration has signed pieces of paper opening much of Alaska to oil drilling, and permitting coal-mining on federal land in Wyoming that will produce as much <span class="caps">CO</span>2 as 300 powerplants operating at full bore.<br /><br />And Secretary of State Clinton has already said she’s ‘inclined’ to recommend the pipeline go forward. Partly it’s because of the political commotion over high gas prices, though more tar sands oil would do nothing to change that picture. But it’s also because of intense pressure from industry. The <span class="caps">US</span> Chamber of Commerce—a bigger funder of political campaigns than the <span class="caps">RNC</span> and <span class="caps">DNC</span> combined—has demanded that the administration “move quickly to approve the Keystone <span class="caps">XL</span> pipeline,” which is not so surprising—they’ve also told the <span class="caps">U.S.</span> <span class="caps">EPA</span> that if the planet warms that will be okay because humans can ‘adapt their physiology’ to cope. The Koch Brothers, needless to say, are also backing the plan, and may reap huge profits from it.<br /><br />So we’re pretty sure that without serious pressure the Keystone Pipeline will get its permit from Washington. A wonderful coalition of environmental groups has built a strong campaign across the continent—from Cree and Dene indigenous leaders to Nebraska farmers, they’ve spoken out strongly against the destruction of their land. We need to join them, and to say even if our own homes won’t be crossed by this pipeline, our joint home—the earth—will be wrecked by the carbon that pours down it.<br /><br />And we need to say something else, too: it’s time to stop letting corporate power make the most important decisions our planet faces. We don’t have the money to compete with those corporations, but we do have our bodies, and beginning in mid August many of us will use them. We will, each day, march on the White House, risking arrest with our trespass. We will do it in dignified fashion, demonstrating that in this case we are the conservatives, and that our foes—who would change the composition of the atmosphere are dangerous radicals. Come dressed as if for a business meeting—this is, in fact, serious business.<br /><br />And another sartorial tip—if you wore an Obama button during the 2008 campaign, why not wear it again? We very much still want to believe in the promise of that young Senator who told us that with his election the ‘rise of the oceans would begin to slow and the planet start to heal.’ We don’t understand what combination of bureaucratic obstinacy and insider dealing has derailed those efforts, but we remember his request that his supporters continue on after the election to pressure his government for change. We’ll do what we can.<br /><br />And one more thing: we don’t just want college kids to be the participants in this fight. They’ve led the way so far on climate change—10,000 came to <span class="caps">DC</span> for the Powershift gathering earlier this spring. They’ve marched this month in West Virginia to protest mountaintop removal; a young man named Tim DeChristopher faces sentencing this summer in Utah for his creative protest.<br /><br />Now it’s time for people who’ve spent their lives pouring carbon into the atmosphere to step up too, just as many of us did in earlier battles for civil rights or for peace. Most of us signing this letter are veterans of this work, and we think it’s past time for elders to behave like elders. One thing we don’t want is a smash up: if you can’t control your passions, this action is not for you.<br /><br />This won’t be a one-shot day of action. We plan for it to continue for several weeks, till the administration understands we won’t go away. Not all of us can actually get arrested—half the signatories to this letter live in Canada, and might well find our entry into the <span class="caps">U.S.</span> barred. But we will be making plans for sympathy demonstrations outside Canadian consulates in the U.S., and <span class="caps">U.S.</span> consulates in Canada—the decision-makers need to know they’re being watched.<br /><br />Twenty years of patiently explaining the climate crisis to our leaders hasn’t worked. Maybe moral witness will help. You have to start somewhere, and we choose here and now.<br /><br />If you think you might want to be a part of this action, we need you to sign up here.<br /><br />As plans solidify in the next few weeks we’ll be in touch with you to arrange nonviolence training; our colleagues at a variety of environmental and democracy campaigns will be coordinating the actual arrangements.<br /><br />We know we’re asking a lot. You should think long and hard on it, and pray if you’re the praying type. But to us, it’s as much privilege as burden to get to join this fight in the most serious possible way. We hope you’ll join us.<br /><br />Maude Barlow – Chair, Council of Canadians<br />Wendell Berry – Author and Farmer<br />Tom Goldtooth – Director, Indigenous Environmental Network<br />Danny Glover – Actor<br />James Hansen – Climate Scientist<br />Wes Jackson – Agronomist, President of the Land Insitute<br />Naomi Klein – Author and Journalist<br />Bill McKibben – Writer and Environmentalist<br />George Poitras – Mikisew Cree Indigenous First Nation<br />Gus Speth – Environmental Lawyer and Activist<br />David Suzuki – Scientist, Environmentalist and Broadcaster<br /><br /><span class="caps">P.S.</span> Please pass this letter on to anyone else you think might be interested. We realize that what we’re asking isn’t easy, and we’re very grateful that you’re willing even to consider it. See you in Washington!</p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/969">james hansen</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1170">David Suzuki</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/1520">Barack Obama</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5420">TransCanada</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/5857">Keystone XL</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6035">civil disobedience</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6276">Naomi Klein</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6720">Maude Barlow</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6721">Wendell Berry</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6722">Tom Goldtooth</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6723">Danny Glover</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6724">Wes Jackson</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6725">George Poitras</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6726">Gus Speth</a></div></div></div>Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:25:52 +0000Brendan DeMelle5468 at http://www.desmogblog.comBill McKibben's Recent Op-Ed On Climate and Severe Weather Remixed Into Videohttp://www.desmogblog.com/bill-mckibben-s-recent-op-ed-climate-and-severe-weather-remixed-video
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Check out this excellent video version of Bill McKibben’s recent Washington Post op-ed <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-link-between-climate-change-and-joplin-tornadoes-never/2011/05/23/AFrVC49G_story.html" target="_blank">“A link between climate change and Joplin Tornadoes? Never!” </a><br /><br />Narrated and illustrated by Stephen Thomson of <a href="http://plomomedia.com/" target="_blank">Plonomedia.com</a>, the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhCY-3XnqS0" target="_blank">video</a> is a great visual representation of McKibben’s <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/no-need-worry-record-tornadoes-raging-fires-mega-floods-crop-killing-droughts-are-not-what-climatologists-predicted">widely-circulated op-ed</a>.<br /><br />Watch here, and share this widely:<br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="540" height="390" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xhCY-3XnqS0?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="540" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xhCY-3XnqS0?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
<!--break--></p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/op-ed">op-ed</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/767">washington post</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/939">climate change</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/3752">climate change video</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6521">Joplin tornado</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6610">Stephen Thomson Plonomedia.com</a></div></div></div>Wed, 08 Jun 2011 23:04:42 +0000Brendan DeMelle5418 at http://www.desmogblog.comNo Need to Worry: Record Tornadoes, Raging Fires, Mega Floods, & Crop-Killing Droughts Are NOT What Climatologists Predictedhttp://www.desmogblog.com/no-need-worry-record-tornadoes-raging-fires-mega-floods-crop-killing-droughts-are-not-what-climatologists-predicted
<div class="field field-name-field-bimage field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.desmogblog.com/sites/beta.desmogblog.com/files/styles/blog_teaser/public/blogimages/tornado_warning.gif?itok=bG_hKKYc" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><em>This op-ed originally appeared in the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-link-between-climate-change-and-joplin-tornadoes-never/2011/05/23/AFrVC49G_story.html" target="_blank">Washington Post</a>.</em><br /><br />Caution: It is vitally important not to make connections. When you see pictures of rubble like <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/official-fatalities-reported-as-tornado-hits-southwest-missouri/2011/05/22/AFXAiP9G_story.html" target="_blank">this week’s shots from Joplin, Mo</a>., you should not wonder: Is this somehow related to the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/the-tuscaloosa-tornado-aftermath-viewed-through-an-ambulances-windshield/2011/04/28/AFdTrU8E_story.html" target="_blank">tornado outbreak three weeks ago in Tuscaloosa, Ala.</a>, or the enormous outbreak a couple of weeks before that (which, together, comprised the most active April for tornadoes in <span class="caps">U.S.</span> history). No, that doesn’t mean a thing.<br /><br />It is far better to think of these as isolated, unpredictable, discrete events. It is not advisable to try to connect them in your mind with, say, the fires burning across Texas — fires that have burned more of America at this point this year than any wildfires have in previous years. Texas, and adjoining parts of Oklahoma and New Mexico, are drier than they’ve ever been — the drought is worse than that of the Dust Bowl. But do not wonder if they’re somehow connected.<!--break--><br /><br />If you did wonder, you see, you would also have to wonder about whether this year’s record snowfalls and rainfalls across the Midwest — resulting in record flooding along the Mississippi — could somehow be related. And then you might find your thoughts wandering to, oh, global warming, and to the fact that climatologists have been predicting for years that as we flood the atmosphere with carbon we will also start both drying and flooding the planet, since warm air holds more water vapor than cold air.<br /><br />It’s far smarter to repeat to yourself the comforting mantra that no single weather event can ever be directly tied to climate change. There have been tornadoes before, and floods — that’s the important thing. Just be careful to make sure you don’t let yourself wonder why all these record-breaking events are happening in such proximity — that is, why there have been unprecedented megafloods in Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan in the past year. Why it’s just now that the Arctic has melted for the first time in thousands of years. No, better to focus on the immediate casualties, watch the videotape from the store cameras as the shelves are blown over. Look at the news anchorman standing in his waders in the rising river as the water approaches his chest.<br /><br />Because if you asked yourself what it meant that the Amazon has just come through its second hundred-year drought in the past five years, or that the pine forests across the western part of this continent have been obliterated by a beetle in the past decade — well, you might have to ask other questions. Such as: Should President Obama really just have opened a huge swath of Wyoming to new coal mining? Should Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sign a permit this summer allowing a huge new pipeline to carry oil from the tar sands of Alberta? You might also have to ask yourself: Do we have a bigger problem than $4-a-gallon gasoline?<br /><br />Better to join with the <span class="caps">U.S.</span> House of Representatives, which voted 240 to 184 this spring to defeat a resolution saying simply that “climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks for public health and welfare.” Propose your own physics; ignore physics altogether. Just don’t start asking yourself whether there might be some relation among last year’s failed grain harvest from the Russian heat wave, and Queensland’s failed grain harvest from its record flood, and France’s and Germany’s current drought-related crop failures, and the death of the winter wheat crop in Texas, and the inability of Midwestern farmers to get corn planted in their sodden fields. Surely the record food prices are just freak outliers, not signs of anything systemic.<br /><br />It’s very important to stay calm. If you got upset about any of this, you might forget how important it is not to disrupt the record profits of our fossil fuel companies. If worst ever did come to worst, it’s reassuring to remember what the <span class="caps">U.S.</span> Chamber of Commerce told the Environmental Protection Agency in a recent filing: that there’s no need to worry because “populations can acclimatize to warmer climates via a range of behavioral, physiological, and technological adaptations.” I’m pretty sure that’s what residents are telling themselves in Joplin today.<br /><br /><em>Bill McKibben is founder of the global climate campaign 350.org and a distinguished scholar at Middlebury College in Vermont.</em></p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-14 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/tags/bill-mckibben">Bill McKibben</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/939">climate change</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/2521">U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/3339">droughts</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/3340">floods</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/4291">350.org</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6521">Joplin tornado</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6522">extreme weather</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/directory/vocabulary/6523">heatwaves</a></div></div></div>Tue, 24 May 2011 18:00:08 +0000Bill McKibben5373 at http://www.desmogblog.com